Map’s new aerial imagery shows mudslide devastation

We just revised our interactive map of Oso mudslide victims and survivors, and while doing so we noticed that Google Maps has now updated the aerial imagery to show the post-event devastation.

The pins of our map, showing where everyone lived, now lie on a sea of dirt and debris. Previously you could see the homes of the Steelhead Drive neighborhood and the surrounding area.

Signs of the recovery effort are visible in the new imagery: Highway 530 is buried, with work vehicles parked nearby, and people can be seen in places. The image quality is quite good when you zoom in. And the memorial tree which we’ve marked on the map is more visible now, standing alone in the drying mud.